1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a manufacturing method of a wiring harness subassembly having both crimp-type terminals and press-fit-type terminals. Further, the invention relates to equipment for implementation of the manufacturing method, which includes a press-fitting unit, a connector retaining bar holding connectors in parallel, and a press-fitting apparatus with the connector retaining bar.
2. Description of the Prior Art
FIGS. 18 to 22 show a known manufacturing method of a wiring harness using crimped terminals.
In the method, the first step is cutting an electrical wire 14 into desired lengths. Next, each end 14a or 14b of the wire 14 is stripped off to expose a conductor 14c (stages 101, 102 in FIG. 18) as illustrated in FIG. 19. Then, the conductor 14c is crimped to a terminal 12 for connection (stage 103 in FIG. 18) as illustrated in FIG. 20. And, after correct arrangement (stage 104 in FIG. 18) of the wire 14 with the terminal, a chuck 109 holds the wire 14 near the end 14a. Further, the terminal equipped wires are sequentially forced into clips 111 formed in a wire retaining bar 110 (stage 105 in FIG. 18) as illustrated in FIG. 21. Finally, with picking up an end portion of the wire 14 from the clip 111, a chuck 112 inserts the terminal into a connector housing 13 (stage 106 in FIG. 18) as illustrated in FIG. 22. Thence, these steps complete a wiring harness subassembly (stage 107 in FIG. 18).
Meanwhile, FIGS. 23 to 24 show another known manufacturing method of a wiring harness using a press-fit terminal 10. In the method, a wire 14 having been cut into a desired length, without stripping off each end thereof, is forced to enter into a press-fit terminal 10 disposed in a connector housing 11a by a vertically moving blade 32 (stages 113 and 114). The application of these steps to plural connector 11 competes a wiring harness subassembly (stage 115 in FIG. 23).
The connector 11 has press-fit terminals 10 disposed in upper and lower open compartments 116 formed between partitions in its connector housing 11a made of a synthetic resin (a double-sided press-fitting terminal connector). After the wires have been press-fitted, the closure of a cover plate 117 protects the press-fitted terminals.
However, in the known manufacturing method of a wiring harness using crimp terminals 12 is produced separately from a wiring harness utilizing press-fit terminals 10. This has not been able to efficiently produce various types of wiring harnesses including both the crimp terminals 12 and the press-fit terminals 10.
In view of the foregoing disadvantage, an object of the invention is to provide a manufacturing method of a wiring harness using both crimp terminals and press-fit terminals and to obtain means for the same, which includes a press-fitting apparatus.
For achieving the object, a manufacturing method of a wiring harness according to the invention includes the steps of:
stripping off one end of an electrical wire;
crimping the one end of the wire to a crimping terminal;
press-fitting the other end of the wire in a terminal of a connector; and
inserting the crimped terminal into a connector housing, which accomplishing a wiring harness subassembly having both the crimped wire end and the press-fitted wire end.
Another manufacturing method of a wiring harness according to the invention for press-fitting one stripped end of an electrical wire to a press-fit-type terminal of a connector by a press-fitting unit having a vertically movable press blade, including the steps of:
disposing in parallel a plurality of connectors having the press-fit-type terminal on a connector retaining bar;
press-fitting the stripped end of the wire to the press-fit-type terminal of the connector by the press-fitting unit;
horizontally transferring the connector retaining bar or the press-fitting unit;
press-fitting one stripped end of another wire to a press-fit terminal of another connector; and
repeating sequentially the horizontally transferring step and the press-fitting step, which accomplishing a wiring harness subassembly mounted on the connector retaining bar. Further, the press-fitting step may be carried out with the stripped end of the wire having been cut in a desired length and having being held by a wire chuck at one end thereof.
Moreover, the invention provides a press-fitting unit including:
a vertically movable press blade for press-fitting an electrical wire to a press-fit-type terminal of a connector; and
an upwardly resiliently loaded wire chuck disposed so as to abut against a rear part of the press blade so that the chuck can unitedly move with the press blade.
The wire chuck may be horizontally movable along a horizontal guide and can horizontally move to a side of the press blade with holding the wire. A couple of the horizontal guides advantageously extend in parallel respectively at each side of the press blade; and the wire chuck can move on the couple of horizontal guides.
Further, the press-fitting unit effectively includes a pair of wire guides each disposed along each side of the press blade and spring-loaded toward the connector, a fore end of each of the wire guides being positioned at each side of the press-fit-type terminal disposed in the connector.
Additionally, this invention provides a connector retaining bar, which includes a longitudinally extending base plate provided with a plurality of connector receiving recesses in parallel, each of the connector receiving recesses being able to hold a connector with a press-fit-type terminal. A plurality of parallel connector supports may be disposed on and held by the base plate, the connector supports respectively having one of the connector receiving recesses.
This invention further provides a press-fitting apparatus having:
a press-fitting unit including a vertically movable press blade for press-fitting an electrical wire to a terminal disposed in a connector,
a frame for fixing the press-fitting unit to the apparatus,
a connector retaining bar disposed opposite to the press blade and movable in a horizontal direction, and
a transfer mechanism for transferring the bar,
wherein the connector retaining bar is provided with a plurality of connector receiving recesses in parallel.
Alternatively, the connector retaining bar may be fixed to the apparatus by a frame while and a transfer mechanism for transfers the press-fitting unit along the bar in a horizontal direction.
In addition, the apparatus has a pair or two pairs of upper and lower symmetrical press-fitting units; and the connector retaining bar is disposed between the upper and lower press-fitting units. The press-fitting units may respectively include an upwardly loaded wire chuck disposed so as to abut against a member jointed to the press blade.
Further, the apparatus can press-fit electrical wires to a couple of double-sided terminals mounted in a relative connector. Advantageously, while one side of the connector having double-sided terminal has been supported by the opposing wire guide, the wire is press-fitted into the other side terminal.